Time's Up: It's Now or Never for the Implementation of Ecoethics to Avoid Catastrophe

Preface
All credit to Paul R. Ehrlich, ecologist, Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, and still active in the Center for Conservation Biology.  Kudos, too, to the Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics (ESEP) section of IR, Inter-Research (Science Publisher), and its Open Access approach regarding crucial, scientific information.
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My first job as an ecologist was as one of the main researchers and authors of the "Water Pollution Control and Abatement Plan for Drainage Basin 15, State of Washington".  That was in 1973.  Over subsequent years and various positions in teaching, consulting, & a period of almost seven years with the Sacramento County Environmental Management Dept, I came to the following conclusions.
1.  Despite some progress, Humanity was heading for more and more ecological disasters.
2.  Some of the reasons why included materialism, unlimited consumption, unlimited growth, neoliberal policies, and politics.
3.  The main reason, though, was/is a lack of ethics... specifically, ecoethics.
[Dr. Ehrlich coined that term, I believe, in 2009.]

Our environmental/ecological problem on Earth is not only material in nature, it's metaphysical, spiritual.  Spiritual not in the sense of organized religion, but rather in the sense of ecoethics, life purpose, relationships to nonhuman life, and values which benefit/respect all biotic & abiotic parts of this amazing planet.  It's a question of where and how to direct our energy during our short time in this physical, cosmic dimension.

When first thinking about this particular blog post, I decided to do a limited "literature search" on the subject.  Perhaps someone else already has covered the subject... better than I ever could.  And that's the case.  In the essay at the link below, Professor Ehrlich brilliantly connects all the dots.  [It's on an Open Access venue.]  It's well worth your time.
https://www.int-res.com/articles/esep2014/14/e014p011.pdf
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Oligarchs, Cronies, Propaganda, Ethics, and a Bit of Political History

Preface
Before delving into Ecological Economics (in a subsequent post), let's have an introduction to the items in the title of this piece.  That will help us understand the tremendous obstacles faced by ecological economists in our plutocratic environment.
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http://individualsovereignty.blogspot.com/2014/07/evidence-of-oligarchy.html

http://individualsovereignty.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-oligarchy-handbook.html

http://individualsovereignty.blogspot.com/2016/10/wars-against-americans-conducted-by.html
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The above essays demonstrate the methods by which Oligarchs essentially control us, mold the public mind, and ensure a governance that favors the Super-Rich.  One of the results of their efforts is the egregious damaging and destruction of necessary natural systems.  If we are to survive and thrive, that has to stop.

We don't live in a truly participatory democracy.  Even our constitutional republic is rapidly disappearing; the Constitution often is ignored by national politicians.  On top of that, our Mixed Economy is being replaced at an ever-increasing rate by Crony Capitalism and Casino Capitalism.  It all benefits primarily the top tier of income earners.  Perhaps worst of all, many producers of goods feel they should not have to bear the cost of the negative "externality" known as pollution.  Too many of them believe it's not their problem.

This must stop.  How?  Peacefully---
"We be many; they be few."  ~ Arundhati Roy

Not only my opinion.  Happy Trails

Corona, Climate Disruption, and Biodiversity - All Connected

Here's why ecosystems are important, biodiversity is crucial, and Climate Disruption must be addressed immediately.

https://www.propublica.org/article/climate-infectious-diseases
At the very least, read the first few paragraphs.
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Why BIODIVERSITY is crucial to the well-being of humanity---
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCH1Gre3Mg0
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For your ecological glossary---

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem

Ecosystem Services and their value---
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6luBEJfi3s
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An important point to remember:  ecosystems are dynamic, always adjusting, always striving for a type of homeostasis (balance).  When we humans interfere with the functioning of them, we should do so with the least damage possible under the particular circumstances.  Why?  Because:  1) they all, directly or indirectly, contribute to our health, prosperity, & well-being; and 2) human existence is not possible without the functioning of natural cycles, and those cycles are found in ecosystems.  Even if you're in artificial surroundings all day and night, you still need clean air, clean water, decent food, shelter, protection from floods, disease, etc.  That all is provided by properly functioning ecosystems.  Everything is connected to everything else.  [Barry Commoner's first law of ecology.  https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/barry-commoner-scientist-activist-radical-ecologist ]
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Myopia and Deep Denial by Too Many People

Continuing on with the Introduction to Ecological Liberalism---

Any informed, reasonable assessment of the current state of humanity on finite Earth surely would conclude with the following.
1.  The Powers-That-Be and too many Main Street people apparently believe we humans are separate from and superior to Nature... and thus not subject to the Laws of Nature.
2.  As a consequence, we have been and continue to be on a path of subduing Nature, rather than extracting natural capital in a sustainable manner.
3.  The results have been:  overuse, degradation, and dangerous disruption of our natural habitat... plus, pollution in the extreme.
4.  Much of the above is due to propaganda, a lack of knowledge concerning natural science (especially ecology), economics, & ethics, and a deep denial of readily apparent facts.
5.  Too many people have bought into the fallacies of unlimited population and economic growth, expanding consumption/consumerism, and the ability of technology to overcome any problem whatsoever.

Fortunately, amidst all the short-sightedness and denial, many institutions and people are working hard to provide valuable education toward a sustainable, ecological path forward.  Here are a few of them---

https://naturalcapitalproject.stanford.edu/

https://mahb.stanford.edu/blog/never-let-a-good-crisis-go-to-waste/

https://mahb.stanford.edu/

https://psmag.com/magazine/fallacy-of-endless-growth

http://williamrees.org/on-herman-dalys-economics/#more-261

https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2020/04/06/The-Earth-Is-Telling-Us-We-Must-Rethink-Our-Growth-Society/

If you really want to educate yourself, you're going to have to read and/or watch relevant videos.  Twitter is great, but 140 characters only points the way.  😊

Not only my opinion.  Everyone Be Well

Introduction to Ecological Liberalism

Preface
Neoliberalism may be on its deathbed.  The ideology began in the late 1930's, bloomed in the 1970's and 1980's, and essentially has ruled the economics, finance, & politics of the developed world ever since.  COVID-19 (SARS-2) has dealt it a blow from which (hopefully) it may never recover.

What will replace it?  Here's some insight---
https://mahb.stanford.edu/blog/coronavirus-spells-the-end-of-the-neoliberal-era-whats-next/
https://www.ehn.org/pandemic-population-covid-19-2645518249.html
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For years I wrote (on another blog) about the disastrous effects of Neoliberalism.  Here's the final essay---
http://individualsovereignty.blogspot.com/2020/05/neoliberalism-has-ruled-for-decades-is.html
With this new blog, it's my intention to provide resources enabling open-minded people to educate and inspire themselves (& hopefully, others) on a path forward.

We'll explore subjects which are both social and scientific.  Because politics has become so polarized in this Land, we'll stay away from that topic to a large degree.  It won't be possible to avoid it entirely.

We'll take it as a given that readers here have a basic Main Street knowledge of natural science, common economics, world affairs, and ethics.  Should anyone encounter a term that's unfamiliar (and not defined here), we'll leave it up to them to do a Search for it.  That approach is necessary because of time and energy constraints on me.  😊

Here's a very brief introduction to Ecological Liberalism---

1.  Liberalism is a moral/ethical philosophy and ideology based on the tenets of liberty, consent of the governed, equality before the Law, and tolerance.  Different forms of the belief sometimes depart from one or more of those tenets.  Despite that, the general definition is valid.

2.  Ecology is the branch of Biology which studies the relationships of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings.  It's essentially the study of ecosystems (to be defined/discussed in a later post).  There are many sub-branches of Ecology, e.g., wetlands ecology, grasslands ecology, desert ecology, Human Ecology, etc.

Significant parts of Ecological Liberalism have been in existence for decades.  To my knowledge, though, those parts never have coalesced into a unified, single ideology.  [If I'm in error, someone please correct me.]  One of the major parts is Ecological Economics, which has been around for over thirty years.  That will be discussed in depth later.  A group similar to Ecological Economists refers to itself as Environment and Resource Economists.  The noted ecologist, Paul R. Ehrlich, believes the two groups are identical in their principles.  Here's a "fair use" quote from his paper, Key issues for attention from ecological economists:
"Environment and resource economists (hereafter 'ecological economists', which I consider to be an identical group) are the scholars examining the most critical problems that will dominate economics in the twenty-first century.". [Emphasis added.]  From:  https://www.jstor.org/stable/44378980?read-now=1&seq=1

The main components and principles of Ecological Liberalism are:  ecology, economics (including finance), ethics and morality (including spirituality, but not "religion"), and social equity.  This is the best path forward.

In addition to the terms above, future posts here necessarily will explore the following topics:  the biosphere, carrying capacity, biodiversity, unlimited growth, over-consumption, industrial agriculture, corporate globalization, industrial ecology, epidemiological environment, sustainable living, sustainable development, climate disruption, the methane bomb, nuclear problems, food and water problems, ecosystem services, technology, the assault on science, local v. global, ecocentric ideology, the population bomb, the holistic approach, world view, and more.

Because of the current pandemic, the door to serious consideration of alternative views regarding the organization of humanity is wide open.  The massive failure of many institutions (public and private) has become glaringly evident.  A new approach is needed if our species is to survive (& thrive) the many severe problems we now face.  We don't need to throw out the baby with the bath water, but a different path is essential.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well